Went to Edmonton for the weekend. Took the bike and did a ride Sat morning. Passed the 1800 KM mark on the High Level bridge.

Other notes from the weekend:

Chris at Pedalhead in Edmonton has an amazing memory. While it took him a moment to remember my name, he remembered the exact bike I bought back in 98.

My Mom is now a Mac user. Gave her an iMac back in Febuary, but it wasn't till this weekend that she felt comfortable shutting down the PC.

Power Grid is a great game. Not only does the game change depending the chosen playing areas, but in the three player game you randomly remove eight power plants. In out case most of the green plants (wind, solar, fusion) were removed. This made resources very scarce and opened up new strategic opportunities. The game also self balances making most games close.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Part of my sermon on Mark 10 compared Bartimaeus the blind beggar with the man often called the 'Rich Young Ruler'.

One detail that escaped me until I was biking home through fish creek. We know Bartimaeus by name, the name of the 'Rich Young Ruler' has been forgotten. I'm sure at the time few would have known Bartimaeus and many would have know the name of the 'Rich Young Ruler'. "This is once again the Great Reversal: Many who are first will end up last, and the last first."

Lisa Smith has written a post to our good friend Melissa Lowen. It starts

Dear Melissa,

It has been several weeks, and some days I still don't believe that you're gone. It is too much of an impossibility that someone so vitally young and alive could somehow not be anymore. And I don't think you'd ever realize how big of a gap you left.

I still feel ill at the fact that I didn't do more. In the rush of preparing to rush off to yet another foreign country, all the funeral details passed me by. I couldn't even find a moment to write of how much I'll miss your steady, gentle, organized and hilarious presence in my life. But maybe the seeming unreality of it all kept me from this moment. I think I'm still in shock. However, I'm writing to you now, with apologies for the tardiness.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Hit the 1500 KM mark yesterday on the way to work. The shot is on Elbow Drive. It's the majority of my normal ride to/from work I'm surprised it's taken this long for Elbow Drive to show up in my every 100 km project. In fact I was afraid most of this project would be boring shots of Elbow Drive. With any luck I'll pass the 1600 KM mark today.

Jesus looked him hard in the eye—and loved him! He said, "There's one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me."

The man's face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go.

I think the one thing in this quote has two parts, give away your wealth and follow me. We tend to focus on the giving up of the wealth in the story cause that's as far as the man in question got. I think the rest of Mark 10 shows a great deal about the follow me and helps make sense of this request.

I'll be following that line of thinking when I preach on Sunday at South Meadows.

Update: I'll also be teaching at Xalt Sunday night. Melissa was scheduled to speak but will be in BC this weekend for a funeral and doesn't know if she'll make it back in time.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Spent the weekend in Revelstoke with 20 some friend. Had great time, passed the 1400 km mark too. Forgot to take the camera with me for the 1400 km shot so this view of Revelstoke from Mount Revelstoke will have to do. Hit a new personal speed record of 71.9 km/h while coming down Mount Revelstoke :) Average speed of 42 km/h for the 25 km trip!

Doing something with 20 people far more complicated that with one other friend. Mostly the communication costs shoot through the roof. Something to work on for next time.

Went swimming at Williams lake, did synchronized cannonballing off the dock and an event we called slime surfing.

Shawnti, Kevin, Calvin and Dave Kerr all to bike spills, but no serious damage suffered. Shawnti gets the best newbie on a technical trail award and Dave Kerr gets the fastest recovery award.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Just North of Rosebud, on the way back from Drumheller. Took the road via Rosebud cause highway 9 was under heavy construction. Sun was low in the west shining under the clouds and these hay bails were on a small wedge created between the curve in the road and the fenced in field. I had to climb down into the ditch as not to cast a shadow.

The Stampeed started yesterday. I know most cities have annual exhibitions, but Calgary takes the Stampeed to 11. It's almost like a holiday, indeed for Corprate Calgary most people get the morning of the parade off, plus a company party, plus invites to other people's parties. Besides a free breakfast, the Sneak a peak pre stampeed day on Thursday get my vote for best deal, $3 dollars entry fee and that includes seeing Jan Arden at the Coke Stage.

Sunday, July 01, 2007

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn - Romans 12:15.

Those words have come to me the last couple of weeks as we've lost Melissa, I've said good bye to Kris as he's left for Ontario, as Sheona has left for Vancouver as we've celebrated Warren's 40th Birthday. While it's advice we often ignore, we don't want to mourn we want to cheer people up or rain on their parade, I think it's great short hand for community. Community is who you celebrate and mourn with.

Indeed the Romans 12 has a great deal to say about community. Here's a bit:

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.